McDonald's 'After Midnight' Late Night Menu: More Fast-Food Chains With Late Night Or Breakfast Options

McDonald's might be adding Egg McMuffins and Big Macs to its value menu soon. The fast-food chain is currently testing its best-selling items from its breakfast and regular menu, and it's looking to add them to a late-night value menu called After Midnight.

The chain, based in Oak-Brook, Ill., already has half of its 14,000 U.S. restaurants open past midnight. "Our customers want convenience around the clock, and we're making it easier to eat at McDonald's with more 24-hour restaurants open than ever before," the company said in a statement.

With the new late night value menu, a customer could possibly go to McDonald's and buy a sausage burrito with fries or even a Big Mac, a burger sandwich that is usually on the menu for a only part of the day.

If or when the After Midnight menu becomes a reality, McDonald's will be the first major fast-food major to offer such an option to customers.

There are, however, other fast-food chains with late night food options or breakfast options throughout the day. Wendy's offers a "$5 Moonlight Meal Deal," which is available after 10 p.m. and includes foods such as a Double Stack and chili cheese fries. White Castle has breakfast options at midnight already, and their motto states, "Breakfast Starts At Midnight." Regional chain In-N-Out offers burgers until about 1 a.m., and most regional Jack in the Box and Sonic restaurants already serve breakfast all day. White Castle currently offers breakfast options at midnight.

In addition to adding to its late-night offers, McDonald's also plans to add three new Quarter Pounder burgers to its menu, along with the option to add thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon for the sandwiches and other items.

Greg Watson, SVP of McDonald’s USA’s Menu Innovation Team, spoke with Burgerbusiness.com about the new burgers last month.

“We're going to take the most popular builds from the Angus line -- the Deluxe [American cheese, tomato, fresh leaf lettuce, red onion, crinkle-cut pickles, mayo and mustard] and the Bacon & Cheese [American cheese, bacon, red onion, crinkle-cut pickles, ketchup and mustard] -- and put them on the Quarter Pounder brand.”

There will also be a new flavor coming out called Habanero Ranch, which will include white cheddar, bacon, lettuce, tomato and habanero ranch sauce.